


Who Would've Thought?

by zozobird



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Blood and Injury, Chara Has Their Own Body, Chara and Frisk are Siblings, Frisk Uses Sign Language, Hate Crimes, Intimidation, Kidnapping, Magic, Mild Blood, Multi, My First AO3 Post, Nonbinary Chara and Frisk, Partially Mute Reader, Post-Undertale Pacifist Route - "I want to stay with you.", Prophetic Dreams, Rating May Change, Reader Is Not Chara, Reader Is Not Frisk, Reader has dogs!, Reader works in a bar, Reader-Insert, Selectively Mute Frisk, Undecided Relationship(s), involving the reader, monster racism, reader has tattoos, will add more characters as they appear - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-26
Updated: 2018-04-24
Packaged: 2019-02-07 00:36:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12829539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zozobird/pseuds/zozobird
Summary: You were a normal person; you had a job, 2 dogs, some tattoos, a nice house, and a few close friends who shared your interests.So who would've thought that it could and would change so much in a single night? Maybe your roommate-she had the freakiest ability to tell when things would happen-but definitely not you. Not all of the changes are good, either. Just how are you supposed to handle this?You don't know for sure, but you sure as hell are doing your best.





	1. That's not nothing!

**Author's Note:**

> RBF=Resting Bitch Face. I have it. T^T It sucks sometimes.
> 
> (Y/N)= Your name  
> (N/N)= Nick name  
> (F/C)= Favorite color

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RBF=Resting Bitch Face. I have it. T^T It sucks sometimes.
> 
> (Y/N)= Your name  
> (N/N)= Nick name  
> (F/C)= Favorite color

You wake up to the sound of your alarm clock going off. You reach over to turn it off as you sit up. You look at the clock and sigh to yourself- _ it’s only noon- _ and proceed to get ready for the day. You dress in your usual attire-( _ f/c _ ) tank top, black jeans, and a black coat-and as you head towards the door, you whistle loudly and grab the leashes from the hanger. Two large dogs scurry in your direction, tails wagging, and you put their leashes on and head out the door. Your neighbors mostly waved or nodded towards you as you walked by, but the farther you got from your home, the more people avoided you. Partially because of how intimidating you looked-confident, tattooed, with two large dogs-and partially because of your dogs themselves.

Both of them were rather large, intimidating dogs. The one walking on your left was named Thunder. He was a rather handsome dog, with honey-gold eyes, the body of a lean rottweiler, and a face that was the perfect mix between pit bull and doberman. He had the doberman/rotty fur pattern with salt and pepper fur(instead of black) and a light brown underside. The one walking on your right was named Lightning (original names, I know). She has the body of a german shepard with a husky coat. Her eyes were different colors-her left was an icy blue and the right was caramel brown-and her head was boxed enough for people to tell that she wasn’t just husky/german shepard mixed. Both dogs had various scars on their bodies, though most were centered on their faces.

The two were rather friendly dogs despite their looks and their unpleasant pasts. They were also very well trained, primarily with non-verbal commands. Which helped you a lot, mainly because you were partially mute. You could talk, but your voice was weak. If you spoke too loud or too much, your voice would give out.

You continue your walk until you reach a bakery. You pause in order to smell the sweet air. Then you, Thunder, and Lightening walk in and ring the bell for service.

“Coming!” a feminine voice comes from the back. A young woman backs out of the swinging doors leading to the kitchen carrying a tray of cookies. She grins in your direction as she sets the tray down, “Hey, roomie. Did you three eat before you left, or was it straight here?”

_ Here. Got anything good for me? _ You signed.

“Yup. C’mon, I’ll let you pick from the fridge.” The blonde led you to her office and opened the mini fridge that was in there. “I got a standard ham and cheese sandwich, some calzones, and a tuna fish sandwich.”

You choose (choice) and she hands it to you.  _ Thanks, Zoe. _ You sit at the desk and eat as Zoe nods and puts down food for your dogs.

“You know,” she begins, “you don’t have to keep coming here. And I mean like right after you wake up. You got hours before you gotta leave for work, you could take some time to relax instead of hangin’ out with a dork like me.”

_ I know, but I like you. I also really like your bakery, it’s so warm. _

Zoe stands up to leave the room. She gives you a smile, “Alright, you sweet goof. Hang out here as long as you want and help yourself to my sweets. I gotta get back out there, I have a customer.”

You were about to say that there wasn’t a customer, but you heard the bell jingle. You wonder how she always knows when someone is coming. You and Zoe have been roommates for about two years now, and you’ve known each other for five. She is nice to everyone, even if she doesn’t like the person. She’s shorter than you, standing around 5’5”-5’6”, with red-tinted, dishwater blonde hair and light grayish eyes that seem to change color. Her body is on the thicker side, both with muscles and fat. It made sense considering she loved to eat her baked goods and work out. She had a large number of tattoos-more than you at least-that she kept mostly uncovered while working. It was confusing to many people that saw her behind the counter. Zoe was rather intimidating to look at, what with her tattoos, muscles and face (RBF, man, it sucks). But she loved her bakery and she loved seeing people’s faces when they first tasted her baked goods.

A few hours later, you decide to begin your trek to work. You lead your dogs out, wave at Zoe and the child in purple she was talking to, and head out. You begin to open the door when Zoe calls out.

“(Y/N)! Wait a second, please,” She dashes behind the counter and grabs a sheet of paper. “Could you give this to Nina, please? I wanted to talk to her over dinner. I’ll be making pasta if you wanna know,” She adds slyly.

You nod at your roommate while smiling brightly. Yes, you loved pasta!  _ Will do! See you.  _ Zoe waves at you and you leave. You walk until you get to a bar named  _ Getaway _ . You work as security/bartender for Nina, who owns the bar. You liked working there: the place had a friendly atmosphere, your coworkers were friendly, Nina was helpful and nice, and your dogs were allowed in the building. You, Thunder, and Lightning go in and are immediately greeted by Nina.

“(Y/N)! How are you? Your fur-babies?” Nina leaned down and gave the dogs loving pats. “I trust my baby sister gave you all a good meal before you got here?”

You nodded. _ She wanted me to give this to you. _ You hand her the paper and she reads it.

“Hm. Well, looks like I’m eating with you two tonight. Lucky me, I won’t have to cook,” She grins. “C’mon, there’s plenty to do before opening.”

Nina gets to work and so do you. Nina was a helpful person, much like Zoe (her younger sister). Nina was shorter than her sister by about 1”-2” and she dyed her hair an average of twice a month-right now it was auburn. She was much slimmer than Zoe and her eyes were a dark blue. She also had multiple tattoos, but she kept them covered during work. Rather than RBF like her sister, Nina’s resting face was neutral, but friendly. Nina ran a clean, non-discriminatory bar that was rather popular with many people.

Zoe introduced you to her 3 years ago when you told her that no one would hire you because of your weak voice. She told you that her sister was looking for bartenders or security, and you went in with her to apply. Nina was happy when she saw you, but was confused when you asked if you could bring in your two dogs as extra security. After you explained to her that they were very well trained and could help defuse fights and intimidate the less savory customers into leaving, she gave you a trial period. You came in for 1 week with both Thunder and Lightening-unpaid-and worked security. After she saw the three of you in action, Nina hired you. The longer you were there the more you learned-both about making drinks and about reading people. Which is why you weren’t surprised when you heard the sound of shattering glasses later that evening.

* * *

You had been keeping an eye on the guy all evening. He was loud and openly mocking many people in the bar. You made a motion towards Jen-the main bartender-telling her to cut him off and ask him to leave. He appeared to make a fuss before he reluctantly took the bottled water Jen held out for him and began to trudge towards the door. You turn away briefly to scan the bar for Nina when you hear glass shattering. You turn your head towards the sound as a hush falls over the bar. You see the man leering at a pair of short monsters and you make your way towards them. You step between the monsters and the man.

“Is there an issue here  _ sir _ ?” You say quietly, spitting out the word  _ sir. _ You glance at the monsters behind you. One is a short skeleton in a pair of dark blue dress pants and a white button-up and behind him, shaking, is a yellow lizard/dinosaur wearing a gray and white cocktail dress.

“A’course there’s a issue! These  _ THINGS _ shouln’ be ‘llowed here with civ’lised folk like me!” His words slurred.

“Sir, you need to leave.”

“Why’d I lis’n to a b’tch like you?!” He grew angrier.

You gave two short, sharp whistles and your dogs flanked you on both sides. The man started to sweat as Thunder growled lowly and Lightning bared her teeth.

“Last chance, leave now or I’ll remove you by force.”

The man eyed you and scoffed nervously, “Li’e you c’n do anyth’ng.”

You smirked and grabbed his dirty shirt in one hand. You hear a click and see a flash as Nina takes the man’s picture to give to the bouncer later.

After Nina is done with that, she shouts, “Don’t come back!” and you begin to drag him out the doors. Thunder trails behind you and when you let go of the man, Thunder follows him down the street to the corner. He comes back and the two of you head back inside.

Before you can see if the pair of monsters are okay, Jen grabs your arm and leads you back to the bar, which has somehow become extremely busy while you were taking care of the unpleasant man. Seeing Nina talking to the pair made you sigh with relief, especially because they were all smiling. Nina looks in your direction, winks at you, and ushers the monsters towards the only exclusive place in the club-her living space.

At least, you could only assume it was a living space since the building was 2 stories tall and the first story was the bar.  You didn’t know where the stairs that led to the second story were, so you just thought they were behind that door. It made sense because the only people you ever saw coming and going through the door were Nina, her fiance, and Zoe. Never any customers. Until now, at least. You shrug at what that could mean and get back to making drinks.

* * *

Around 10 O’clock, Nina calls you from the main entrance. You notice that she has your coat in one hand and was gesturing wildly with the other. Once you reach her, she thrusts your coat at you and smiles.

“(Y/N), I think you should walk them home,” she gestures towards the skeleton monster and dinosaur monster from earlier. “With what happened earlier, I would feel better knowing they got to their destination safely.”

You shrug and put on your coat, whistling for your dogs. Almost immediately, they’re at your side. You gesture for the monsters to lead the way and begin trailing after them.

“Stop by the bakery, if you can!” Nina yells as you reach the corner. “Make sure she actually closed on time. Oh, and you have the rest of the night off. See you later!”

You turn on your heel, salute Nina with a smile, then look at the dinosaur on your right. You mouth ‘can you understand sign language’ and give a sigh of relief when she rapidly nods her head.

“Um, w-we both c-can,” she sharply jerks her arm between herself and the skeleton on your left.

_ That’s a relief _ you sign.  _ There aren’t that many people I know who can understand it. _

“well, then it’s a good thing we can then. ain’t it, kiddo?” You nod in agreement at the skeleton.

_ It is. I’m (Y/N), barkeep and security at  _ _ Getaway. _ _ What are your names? _

“sans. sans the skeleton.”

“I-I’m Alphys. Uh, t-thank you for w-what you did a-at the bar.”

_ Not a problem. It’s my job to make sure everyone there feels safe and comfortable.  _ You give the two of them a proud smile.

You all continue walking for a few minutes, then Sans breaks the silence.

“do ‘ya usually walk customers home or are we special?”

You shrug at the squinting skeleton and respond,  _ This is a pretty normal thing for Nina to do. If anyone is harassed and she sees it, she usually sends a member of security to escort them either to their car or anyplace else that is deemed safe. Safety is her number one priority. _

“huh.”

You nod.  _ Anyway, how much longer will we be on this street? _

Alphys taps her claws together as she quietly responds, “I-it’s not much farther t-to our house. A-a few blocks past th-that bakery, a-actually.”

She raises a shaky claw to point at the bakery across the street a couple buildings ahead and you look at Sans and Alphys.  _ Is it okay if we stop there for a minute? I need to check on something. _

Sans shrugs and Alphys nods. The five of you cross the street and come towards the bakery. All of the lights were still on, but the door was locked. You were about to knock on the glass when you see Zoe leave the back room, putting on a black baseball hat. She twirls in place and turns out the lights. She leaves her bakery, makes sure the door’s locked and turns towards your small group.

“Hello there, beautiful,” she gives you a smirk. “Did Nina tell you to make sure my bakery was actually closed while escorting these two gorgeous beings home?”

You nod and introduce her to the monsters with you.  _ This is Sans _ -you point to the lightly blushing skeleton _ -and this is Alphys _ -you point to the beat red dinosaur.  _ Guys, this is Zoe. The owner of this bakery who- _ you cut yourself off mid sentence once you actually look at her face.

“W-What happened to you?!” You manage to force out weakly.

“Nothing important,” she shrugged.

“ _ Noth- _ ” Your voice cut out.  _ Nothing important?!  _ You signed incredulously.  _ You have a black eye and a split lip! What the Hell? _

“It’s fine, (N/N). A dick-bag just came by, we had a disagreement, he tried to attack me, and I kicked his ass. Seriously, I’m fine,” she gave you a reassuring smile and turned her attention towards the monsters. “Where’re we headed?”

With the reminder that they needed to get home, Sans and Alphys started forward once again. You chatted with the pair as Zoe trailed behind, no doubt thinking about what she wanted to cook with the pasta she promised to make.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is my first time writing a reader insert, so I would appreciate any feedback anyone's willing to give me. I tried to keep the reader gender-neutral, so please let me know if I slipped up somewhere.
> 
> I'm not yet sure if Reader will have only platonic relationships with everyone or if one will evolve into the romantic category. We'll see where it goes.¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> Thank you for reading! I hope you like it so far and please comment what you think!


	2. Who the Frick-Frack is That??

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nina and her fiance come to dinner and Reader has a weird dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bold & italicized mean dreams.

You try to grab Zoe’s arm once you all get to your door, but she ducks under your reach with a shit-eating grin. She kicks the door in, cackling as the door bangs against the wall. You put a hand to your face, sighing as you and your dogs follow behind her. Zoe pats your head with a wide grin and disappears into the kitchen to start the pasta. You sigh again at your weird as shit roommate, wondering-not for the first time-how you deal with her weirdness. As you make your way towards the kitchen to help her with dinner, you hear her speaking lovingly to her cat.

“Hello my little Rascal,” she cooes at the large tom cat in her arms. “I hope you didn’t get into any trouble while we were gone.”

Zoe kisses Rascal on the nose and he headbutts her in response, purring. She hands the black cat to you and you absentmindedly pet him as you sit at the dining room table. Zoe hands you a few onions to dice while she pulls out everything else she needs. Rascal jumps out of your lap when you start, heading to the living room to curl up with Thunder and Lightning on the couch. You can hear a few grumbles from Lightning as she is forced to make room for the large cat and Thunder. Eventually, they all settle down and the only sounds to be heard are you dicing onions and Zoe lowly singing as she mixes ingredients into her “secret sauce recipe”.

 _Secret?_ You snort at the thought. The only reason it’s a “secret” recipe is because it’s almost never made the same way twice. Zoe doesn’t like “being restricted by recipes” and “you’re _supposed_ to experiment with different flavors in the kitchen, (Y/N)”. You’re pretty sure the real reason is because she can’t remember everything she puts into her food and she hates writing things down.

“The frick you laughing at?” Zoe squints at you in suspicion. “If it’s at me, I’ll kick you.”

 _No, not you._ You sign and shake your head as she waves a sauce covered spoon at you in a vaguely threatening manner. _It was at the animals. Lightning was groaning because she had to move to make room for the other two. We both know that she would throw a fit if Thunder and Rascal didn’t include her in the cuddle pile, though._

“That is true,” Zoe went back to the sauce. “She is the _Queen_ of pouting. You done with the onions?”

You nod as you hand her the cutting board with onions. She pours them in and hands you a few bell peppers to dice. You quickly cut the peppers and put them on the counter as Zoe starts the meatballs. She starts adding the peppers to the meat while you head to the living room. Thunder, Lightning, and Rascal move to make room for you as you sit and turn on the T.V.. With the T.V playing in the background, the animals curled up around you, and the mouthwatering aromas wafting through the house, you start to doze.

* * *

 You wake up a short time later to the sound of the front door opening and Nina yelling her entrance.You hear a masculine voice muttering at Nina to calm down and you  smirk in their direction, knowing that there’s no way she’ll calm down. Nina and her fiance enter the living room, with Nina waving at you and dashing to the kitchen with a shout of her sister’s name. You raise your hands to greet Drew when you hear a shout from Zoe.

“God _damn_ it, Nina! I almost dropped the sauce!”

“Oh no. Not the sauce,” Drew whispers at you and you two snicker.

“We heard that, Drew!” Nina and Zoe shout from the kitchen. You two share a look before laughing even harder.

Drew-short for Andrew-has been with Nina for around 2 years. He’s a generally upbeat man with black hair and dark brown eyes, who absolutely adores Nina. Drew’s a truck driver, so he spends a lot of his time on the road, though he helps Nina out at the bar whenever he’s around. He’s an extremely friendly person with everybody; you’ve never met someone that he didn’t like or who didn’t like him. Honestly, he’s so friendly that  you believe if there was a human embodiment of a golden retriever, it would be Drew.

You and Drew talk while Nina pesters Zoe in the kitchen. Eventually, Zoe gets irritated enough that she kicks her sister out into the living room. Nina pouts as she reluctantly walks in and collapses onto her fiance.

“She doesn’t love me anymore!” Nina wails, dramatically throwing her arm over her face.

Drew pats her cheek sympathetically as she mock sobs. You whistle to get her attention, and when she lifts her arm slightly to look at you, you raise your hands to sign.

 _You’re right, she hates you._ Nina gives you the most betrayed look you’ve ever seen and you have to fight to keep your face straight. _She hates you so much that she invited you to dinner._

“I mean, I guess that’s true,” she mumbles.

You give Nina a serious look, _she’s going to poison you._

“She wouldn’t do that!”

“I totally would,” you all turn towards the doorway, where Zoe stood. “Dinner’s done.”

She turned around and gestured for everyone to follow her. You and Drew laugh at Nina’s genuinely shocked look. The three of you head to the dining room and sit at the table as Zoe dishes up the pasta for everyone.

Drew points his fork at Zoe after a few minutes of eating, “The heck happened to your face?”

“Like I told (Y/N), I had a disagreement with a guy and we fought.”

 _What was the disagreement about, though?_ You question her.

She shrugs, “My bakery serving monsters. Same as you, Nina, and the bar earlier.”

 _Did Nina tell you about that?_ Zoe shakes her head, taking a bite of food. _Then, how-?_

“I can see the future,” she waves her fingers around ominously. “No, but seriously, it was mostly a guess.”

 _Mostly?_ You tilt your head in confusion, with Drew mimicking the action and Nina eating  away at her food.

Zoe nods, “Weird dream last night mixed with the horoscopes from this morning.”

 _Okay?_ You were confused by how either of those things could lead to knowing what exactly would happen. However, you knew that if you tried to get more information, it would just make less sense than it already did. You shake your head and go back to eating.

* * *

 Nina and Drew leave a few hours later and Zoe starts cleaning the dishes. You take Thunder and Lightning outside one last time before you go to bed. You look up towards the stars, tracing the constellations that you know with your eyes while your dogs do their business. Seeing what you believe to be a shooting star, you close your eyes and wish that nothing will come up to disrupt your plans for camping. You’ve been looking forward to this trip for a little while now; being able to stargaze properly, not having to break up fights, and not having to deal with the rest of Zoe and Nina’s family.

Not to say that you didn’t like them-actually you really liked all of them. It’s just that they can become a bit... _much..._ when there are more than four of them in the same room. Some of them were planning on visiting the two sisters, and you wanted to avoid the storm that they would bring. The first and only time you went with Nina and Zoe to their family reunion, you ended up with sand and cake in your underwear. You’re still not sure how that happened, considering the reunion was nowhere near a beach. But at least you didn’t wind up with no eyebrows and a half shaved head-Zoe-or a powdered wig and no shirt-Nina.

You hear your dogs scratching the back door, so you open your eyes and let them in. The three of you head to the kitchen and see Zoe putting the last of the clean dishes away. Rascal sits, perched across her shoulders, as she does so. She turns when she’s done, says goodnight and heads towards her room. When you hear her door close, you open the fridge door and cut yourself a slice of pumpkin roll. You eat it as you go to your room, giving a small piece to Thunder and Lightning as well. You change into your pajamas, curl up on your bed with the two dogs, and promptly fall asleep.

 

* * *

 

_**You open your eyes and see a dense forest canopy above you. You sit up and look around. Trees are everywhere, their branches swaying gently in a soft breeze, and directly in front of you is a narrow path. You stand and follow the path, and the trees get more and more densely packed the farther you go. Oddly enough, it doesn’t get any darker even with the trees so close together you can barely see through them. Some sunlight sneaks past the leaves, keeping the path well-lit.** _

_**When the sunlight can no longer make it past the compact canopy, small, glowing mushrooms sprout up. The mushrooms glow different colors-with some being pale blue, others a light green, and others still glowing a warm orange. The leaves of the trees reflect the colors from the mushrooms so well that the surroundings light up in a rainbow display, similar to the Northern Lights with how the colors seem to dance.** _

_**After what feels like hours, you come across a clearing. There’s a small lake in the center of the clearing, and the surface of the water is so still that it’s reflection is akin to a mirror. The sky is clear and thousands of stars can be seen surrounding a large, full moon. The moon bathes the area in an ethereal light and you look around in wonder. You turn back towards the lake and at the edge of the water, there’s a cloaked figure.** _

_**You can’t tell if they’re male or female, only that they are shorter than you and their cloak is a dark violet. Before you can ask them who they are, they speak. Their voice reminded you of a campfire-crackling and warm, with a hint of both security and danger.** _

_**“There is much coming in your future, young one. Tonight was only the beginning.”** _

_**“What do you mean?” your voice is soft, but nervous.** _

_**The cloaked figure takes your hands, “I’m afraid that there are things I cannot reveal to you, young one, though I would suggest staying on your trip for two more days than you had planned,” the figure lets go of your hands and gently cups your face. “Be strong and have faith in your friends-both old and new.”** _

_**They release your face and fade away into a wisp of violet smoke which soon disappears. You stand there, wondering who that was and what exactly they were talking about. Eventually, you lay back in the soft grass and gaze up into the night sky.** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2, yay! I feel like I should warn everyone reading this that I have no outline for this. I have an idea about where I want this to go, but no actual outline. ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ  
> I probably won't be posting new chapters regularly because of this, but I'll try to update as often as I can.
> 
> Let me know if I did anything wrong or just leave a comment, telling me what you think. I would love to hear it. <3
> 
> I was thinking about doing side-stories that relate to this one, but are just oneshots that act as filler (not necessary to the main story, but still interesting to get background on the characters). Something like what happened at that family reunion. Please let me know if I should or not.


	3. Where did you two come from?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Impromptu family reunion because more people are coming and something worrying happens while camping.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Longest chapter yet! Wowie! °˖✧◝(⁰ ▿ ⁰)◜✧˖°  
> I hope you like it!
> 
> As always, Italics means sign language.

You wake in a daze and glance at your bedside clock in confusion. You groan at the time and sit up, knowing that you’ll be unable to go back to sleep. You trudge into the living room and spot Zoe glaring at her cell phone-which is going off. She doesn’t seem to notice you as she answers the phone.

“ _What?”_ she hisses quietly. There is a pause and Zoe sighs. “I have a roommate, remember. Who is sleeping. I’m trying to be quiet. Why did you call me?... You should be telling Nina this, not me…. I don’t care if you-... That’s not my-... Yeah…. Whatever, it’s not like-” she gives another sigh-this one longer-as she pinches the bridge of her nose in irritation. “ _Fine._ Bye.”

Zoe hangs up, muttering to herself about whoever called her. She looks up and spots you on the couch. You gesture towards the phone still in her hand and tilt your head in question.

Zoe rolls her eyes and rubs her forehead, “It was my Aunt Sarah. She’s decided-last minute, mind you-that she is going to be visiting. If it was just her, then it would be fine. But it’s _not,_ ” Zoe falls onto the couch next to you, her head resting near your thighs. You pat her head consolingly as she elaborates. “She’s bringing her kids and her boyfriend. And guess where they want to stay.”

You cringe in sympathy. Zoe and Nina’s Aunt Sarah is a pretty nice woman, if slightly loud and opinionated. All of her kids took after her in both regards, though they were _much_ more aggressive in their actions. They weren’t bad kids, per-say, but they lacked proper discipline and outlets for their aggressive energy. Sarah’s boyfriend Jake definitely didn’t help matters. On the surface, he was friendly enough, but anyone could tell that he was really a jerk once they held a conversation with him. He would make racist and sexist comments any time he thought it necessary-which was pretty often-and would get aggressively defensive if anyone called him out on it. He would also yell over anyone who was talking about things he deemed ‘stupid’. Constantly. It was irritating and demeaning to whoever was trying to speak.

With all of the relatives that were coming to visit the sisters, it made sense that Sarah would be staying with Zoe rather than Nina. There were few people in the pair’s family that actually liked Jake. It would be bad enough that they would have to see him and having him stay with everyone else would be asking for a fight to break out-which led to Zoe housing them.

Zoe patted your cheek when you gave her a sympathetic frown and moves to get up, “It’ll be fine. At least you won’t have to deal with all of the drama they bring. Lucky.”

 _Speaking of,_ you sign as you also get up, _I had the weirdest dream last night._

“Really? What was it about?”

You sit at the table and explain it to Zoe as she makes the two of you breakfast. You finish your explanation just as your breakfast is set in front of you. Zoe doesn’t make any comments until you’re both done eating.

“So the person said that you should stay two extra days?” Zoe hums when you nod. “Do it.”

_Why do you think I should?_

“Well, something thinks that you should. Whether it’s your own subconscious or not is irrelevant. I’ve learned to trust in dreams like that,” she gives a shrug. “Even if nothing happens, you get two more days of relaxation. You should take the extra days-unless of course, you want to deal with Jake.”

You rapidly shake your head.

“Thought so. I don’t want to deal with his shit either, but I _have_ to. I’ll see you later,” Zoe puts on a hoodie and leaves the house.

With your roommate gone, you head back to your room to watch videos on your laptop. You end up falling asleep after a while.

* * *

You wake up a few hours later to Thunder licking your cheek and Lightning whining by your door. You rub your eyes and get up. Thunder and Lightning follow you towards the back door and run out when you open it. While you wait for your dogs, you make yourself a cup of (coffee/tea). It takes the dog pair a few minutes to come back inside and when they do, they go to the couch to lay down. You shut and lock the door before going and taking a shower. After you’re done, you dry off and get dressed. You put Thunder and Lightning on their leashes and leave the house, heading to work.

You decide not to stop by the bakery today, thinking that Nina needed to know as soon as possible about your extended trip. You smile into the warm rays of sun peeking through the clouds and look at the people walking around you. There was a mix of monsters and humans mulling about in the late summer day, some of whom smiled at you as they passed by. You returned the smiles with a smile and nod of your own. You could hear kids running and playing with each other.

One of them seemed to be yelling at someone, “Look o-!”

Before the kid could finish their sentence, something hit you in the back of the head. You froze as something dripped down your neck. There were multiple gasps coming from behind you, and you turned around and looked at the group of children that were playing near you.

One of the kids-a dinosaur with no arms-stepped towards you, “Dude, we are _so sorry_. I tried to warn ‘ya, but I don’t think you heard me.”

 _It’s okay._ You sign without thinking. Before you could vocally correct yourself, the kid responds.

“Are you sure?”

After you get over your initial surprise about the kid knowing sign language, you respond. _I’m sure. Why aren’t you guys playing in the park instead of here?_

“We all live too far away to walk there by ourselves. Right, guys?” the other kids all nod in agreement with the dinosaur child.

_Okay, just be more careful with those water balloons._

“Will do! See ‘ya, dude!” the group of children all yell their goodbyes as they run off. You wave at them as they go then continue on your way.

* * *

You arrive at _Getaway_ roughly half-an-hour before your shift starts and you head towards Nina, who is at the register counting out some money.

You tap her shoulder and when she looks at you, you sign. _I wanted to let you to know that I’ll be staying an extra two days camping._

Nina nods, “Any particular reason why?”

_Partially because Zoe insisted._

“Oh? Why?”

 _She thought I should, especially with Sarah, Jake, and the kids staying there._ Nina scowls at the news. _That was Zoe’s reaction, too, when they called._

“When did they let her know they were coming?”

_This morning. I’m assuming they’re getting here around the same time as everyone else._

She shakes her head in exasperation, “They always do this. Always. They wait ‘til last minute to let anyone know they’re coming and then throw a fit when they get here and people are annoyed at them.”

You nod in sympathy and gesture towards the tables. Nina hands you a washcloth and you start wiping down the tables with Nina’s ranting in the background.

 

Work passes quickly, with no problem customers. About an hour before the bar closes, You see the monsters from yesterday-Sans and Alphys-walk in. They are wearing much more casual clothes today than they were yesterday and seemed to have brought a few of their friends. Sans and Alphys both smile and wave at you as the group approaches the bar. You smile at them and they sit in front of you.

“H-hi, (Y/N). Wh-what are you u-up to?”

_Working, mostly._

“O-oh, right. You w-work here.”

You nod at the nervous dinosaur with a smile. _Can I get you anything?_

Sans, Alphys, and one of their friends-a tall, muscular fish woman-all nod and tell you what they want. You look towards the other two monsters that came in. Both of them shake their heads.

The one on the right-a female goat? Yeah, she looks sort of like a goat-smiles at you gently before speaking, “No thank you, dear. We’re actually here to see your boss, Nina, was it?” She addressed the last part towards Sans, who nodded.

_Can you tell me your names so I can tell her who wants her?_

“Of course, I’m Toriel and this is Asgore,” She gestures at herself and then at the bearded goat beside her, who waves when he’s introduced.

 _Okay, I’ll be right back._ You quickly give the three monsters at the bar their drinks then go to find Nina.

You find her in the back, on the phone. She seems to be arguing heatedly with someone so you stand back and wait for her to hang up. After a few minutes, she hangs up with a scowl. Nina turns towards you and jumps in surprise.

“ _Holy-!_ Don’t _do_ that, (Y/N). _Sheesh_. Is there something you needed?”

You snicker as you sign. _There are a few monsters that wanted to talk to you._

“Really? What are their names?”

_Toriel and Asgore._

Nina tilted her head, “Huh, okay. Take me to them.”

You lead her back towards where the group of monsters are. When they see the two of you coming over, Toriel and Asgore approach Nina. As they speak to her quietly, you go back behind the bar and clean some glasses. Nina takes the goat monsters to a quieter part of the bar and Alphys tries gets your attention.

“U-uh, hey, (Y/N), I w-wanted t-to thank you. F-for yesterday.”

_It’s cool. The guy was a jerk._

“that’s true,” Sans agreed with a sip of his drink.

“So _you’re_ the punk my Alphy told me about! With the dogs and the weird friend!” The fish monster yelled. You nod slightly as she leans towards you. “My name is Undyne, nice to meet you!”

You shake her webbed hand. _Nice to meet you, too._

Taking in Undyne’s appearance, you realize that she’s taller than you. Her crimson hair is held in a high ponytail, which shows off her face in a rather nice way. She has one bright yellow eye and an eyepatch over the other one. Undyne’s teeth were bared in a-frankly-terrifying smile. They were wickedly sharp and they reminded you of both piranhas and angler fish. Her tank top did a great job of showing off her muscular arms

Asgore and Toriel come back some time later and they leave with Sans after telling you goodbye. Undyne and Alphys leave soon after that, with Undyne swinging the small dinosaur over her shoulder with a shout of, “WE’RE GONNA BE LATE!!” and running out the front doors. You look at Jen, who looks as stupefied as you feel, and you two burst into bewildered laughter.

The rest of your shift passes without anything else happening and you make it back home pretty quickly. You eat some dinner, let your dogs outside, then head to bed.

* * *

The rest of the week passes without any incidents, and before you know it, it’s time for your trip. You already have everything you need packed and in the car. You’re just waiting for Zoe to get her phone. The two of you decided that Zoe would drive you to the campsite. You _were_ going to drive yourself, but Sarah, Jake, and the kids needed to be picked up from the airport and the two of you only had one car. It was an inconvenience for both of you, but you deal. Zoe comes out of the house with her phone, and you drive off.

The place you chose to camp at was pretty isolated. Not many people went there-the amount of hiking needed to get there and the lack of cell phone service put many people off of trying. It was worth it, though. You found it a year or so before you met Zoe, and you continue going back a few times every year. The site is close to a river which feeds into a cliff-side waterfall. The cliff overlooks the forest and the distant mountains frame the sun beautifully when it’s setting. It’s the perfect place to relax.

You’re pulled from you musings by the sound Zoe opening the door.

“We’re here. Need help unloading?”

You nod and the two of you get to unpacking your supplies. There’s not too much, just enough for how long you’ll be camping-which is now a full week rather than five days. You put satchel harnesses on both Thunder and Lightning and put on your own pack. Before Zoe leaves to pick up her relatives, she gives you a satellite phone.

“In case of emergencies,” she said with with a smile. “I’ll be here at noon-ish, Saturday. Have fun.”

You give her a thumbs up and start your trek as she pulls away. You admire the trees as you walk and whistle a little with the birds. It takes you about an hour to get to your campsite and another half hour to set up your camp. You start a fire to cook some of the food you brought and set some food out for your dogs. After the three of you finish your dinner, you make sure all of the food is sealed in containers and put where animals can’t get to it. Then you make your way towards the cliff to watch the sunset.

You bask in the fading light, watching as the sky gets darker and the first few stars start appearing. You continue watching the sky as the sun disappears completely behind the mountains and more stars appear to take its place. After a while, you decide to go to bed. You make sure the fire is out and lay down in the tent with Thunder and Lightning. The three of you fall asleep to the quiet of the forest.

 

The first five days pass similarly to this, though with much more hiking. On the sixth day, something happened.

 

You were away from your campsite, hiking with your dogs for a few hours before heading back. When you approached your camp, you heard some sounds. You sign for your dogs to heal and they do, though their hackles are raised and their ears are pinned back. Certain that it’s just an animal trying to steal your food, you cautiously approach-you don’t want to risk the animal attacking you if you scare it too much. As you get closer, there’s a thud and a grunt that sounded more human than animal. Confused, you move quickly-though still cautiously-towards the noise. When you are close enough to see your camp, you freeze, confused and very concerned.

Two children were standing in front of your tent. One was sitting on the ground, holding their knee and hissing. The other was looking around frantically, trying to get the one on the ground to stand. They both looked a little banged up, each sporting a few cuts and bruises. The child on the ground was tan with scruffy dark brown hair and they were wearing a blue shirt with purple stripes. The other was pale with neatly cut brown hair and they wore a green shirt with a yellow stripe.

Thunder and Lightning look at the children with tilted heads and pricked ears. You decide to send them over first to help calm the children before you get any closer. You tap your dogs on the back then gesture towards the children. Lightning immediately trots over there, with Thunder following with more trepidation. The child in green-Greenie until you learn their name-notices them immediately and pulls the other behind them as the dogs approach. The one in blue notices the dogs a few moments later and reaches towards Lightning, who curiously sniffs the hand.

“ _F_ _risk_ ,” they hiss, “ _stop_. These dogs may belong to _them._ ”

The kid in blue-Frisk, apparently-looks at the taller one and shrugs at them, stepping around them and proceeding to pet Lightning. Thunder hangs back, content with watching the trio. You decide that you should see why these kids were here and not with their parents, so you whistle to get everyone’s attention. The kids’ heads jerk towards you in a panic and your dogs return to your side.

“ _Dammit, I told you they would be back soon,”_ Greenie stage-whispers at Frisk, who shrugs again.

“Where are your parents?” you ask them quietly while signing. “Are you two lost?”

Greenie scowls, their red eyes glinting in the fading sunlight, “Why should we tell you?”

“Because I know this area like the back of my hand, I could help you find them.”

Frisk starts signing. _That won’t help. They’re probably still at home._

“ _Frisk!_ ”

 _What do you mean?_ You sign without speaking when you realize that they both can understand it.

_A group of people took us while we walked back from the library. Mom and Dad don’t know-_

Before Frisk could continue, Greenie grabs their hands and places Frisk behind them, sneering at you while they do it.

“Stop telling them things! We don’t know who they are!”

Before Frisk could try to respond, Thunder started to growl. Greenie and Frisk backed up a little bit and you looked in the direction that Thunder was. He stopped growling when you placed your hand on his back. You could make out the sound of footsteps coming from a short distance away along with shouts of “Kids, come back!” and “We promise not to hurt you!”. You looked at the kids in front of you, who both paled. You tap Lightning and when she looked at you, you pointed at the kids then the tent. She looked at the kids then back at you before walking over there. Lightning grabbed Frisk’s shorts, tugging the child to the tent. They looked at you and you made a shooeing motion with your hands. They nodded and pulled Greenie with them into the tent. Lightning followed them and you zipped the opening halfway closed. You told Thunder to lay outside the tent’s opening and you went towards your fire pit.

While you were ‘attempting’ to start a fire, three men ran into your campsite. You look up, memorizing their faces, and raise an eyebrow at them.

The one on the far right-with a neck tattoo and no hair-cleared his throat, “Excuse me, have you seen two children around here?”

You shake your head and quietly respond, “No, why?”

The one in the middle-a tan, long haired brunette with ear gauges-replied, “They’re my cousins. We were camping and they were to excited about the hike to wait for us. They ran off before we even finished setting up the tent.”

“Well, I haven’t seen anyone, sorry. I just got back from my own hike, so if they ran past here, I wouldn’t have seen them anyway.”

The three men nod and turn to leave. Just as they turn, a sneeze comes from your tent. They slowly pivot back towards you.

The one on the left-a short, compact blond-suspiciously eyes you, “What was that, then?”

“A sneeze,” you deadpan.

“No shit, Sherlock,” blondie sneers. “Who was it?”

“My dog.”

“Your dog’s not in the tent,” the trio stalk towards your tent.

You give a high-pitched whistle and Lightning immediately pokes her head out of the tent, spots the men approaching and starts to growl. Thunder stands and bares his teeth. The three look at each other before taking a collective step back. They mutter an apology at you and scurry off. You wait until you can’t hear them anymore before whispering at the kids hiding in the tent. The pair come out with Lightning and they sit in front of you.

Frisk looks up at you. _That was so cool!_

Greenie looks away, “It was alright.”

You get Greenie’s attention and sign, _Were those the people that took you?_ Both children nod. _Okay. Well, my name is (Y/N). I say we wait here for a while to make sure they won’t come back._

The kids nod in agreement and tell you their names-with Frisk being much more enthusiastic about it than their friend/sibling, Chara. You believe that it would be a good idea to stay the night here and  hike down in the morning. While you wait, you decide to call Zoe on the satellite phone to ask if she could come earlier-this  _was_ an emergency, after all.

It picks up after the first ring and a nasally voice answers, “Hello?”

“Is Zoe there?” you cringe at how scratchy your voice sounds.

“Hold on,” there’s a pause, then a shrill, “ _ZOE! IT’S FOR YOU!”_

“ _You’re not allowed to answer my phone, May!_ ”

“She’s coming.”

You nod, knowing May won’t see it.

When Zoe gets the phone, there’s a screech in the background and tired sigh from Zoe, “Damn them for leaving me to watch their kids all week. Hello?”

“Emergency.”

“What’s the emergency?” Zoe’s voice is concerned.

You explain as quickly as you can, with your roommate guessing at times when your voice would give out. When you finished explaining, you asked what she thought you should do. It was always a good idea to get an outside perspective to help with a situation.

Zoe paused for a moment then said, “Stay there tonight and leave in the morning. You don’t know how far away those guys are taking their search or how long they’re going to search for. My bet is, they’ll look well into the night and they’ll be too exhausted to look early in the morning. Besides, it’s getting dark and it’s dangerous to hike in the dark.”

“That’s what I was thinking,” you tell her in relief. “Are you gonna see if there are any new missing children posters at the station?”

“No need, you said one’s named Frisk, right?” you hum an affirmative. “They wearing a blue shirt with purple stripes?” another affirmative hum. “I know their parents. The kid stops by the bakery almost daily after school. This was the first place their parents looked. I’ll let them know you found their kids. I’ll be there early tomorrow to get y'all. Before 9 early.”

You sigh in relief and hang up. You explain to the kids what’s going on. Chara doesn’t like it, but agrees that it’s for the best. You start the fire, make some dinner for everyone, and then you all go to bed.

Tomorrow’s going to be a long day. You can feel it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at that, I got chapter 3 done and it's longer than the first 2 chapters. ツ
> 
> Please, let me know what you think. What you like, dislike, want to see, etc. o(´~∀~｀*)  
> I want comments, please. Feedback.
> 
> I'm still thinking about doing side-stories that relate to this one, but are just oneshots that act as filler (not necessary to the main story, but still interesting to get background on the characters). Something like what happened at Nina and Zoe's family reunion or how you found you favorite camp spot. Please let me know if I should or not. I want to know if anyone would read it.


	4. This was a good day.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You return the kids to their parents, lose a few cookies, get a lot of hugs, and sing with your roommate. Pretty good day, right? Well, it was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 4~! ｡ﾟ+.ヽ(´∀`*)ﾉ ﾟ+.ﾟ  
> It's not as long as chapter 3, but I hope you like it anyways.
> 
> Italics+Underline=Singing  
> Italics only=Sign language
> 
> End of the chapter has yelling and things being thrown if you want to skip that. I'll mark the part to skip with stars then a line break and I'll summarize what you miss at the end for those of you that skipped it.
> 
> Also, the song is Livin' on a Prayer by Bon Jovi.

You wake up around 7 o’clock the next morning and immediately start packing up your things. You waited before everything but the tent was packed before waking Chara and Frisk up-you wanted them to rest as long as possible. Chara sat off to the side, still dozing, as Frisk helped you take the tent down. Once the tent was put away, you lead the kids away from the campsite.

The trek down the mountain was quiet, with Chara and Frisk staying close to you as you all hurried down the trails. It takes about an hour and-a-half rather than the usual hour to get to the main road because you decided to take the more unknown trails. When you get to the main road, you see Zoe sitting on the car hood, talking on the phone.

She sees you and waves you over, “Yeah, they actually just got here. Want to talk to them?” You heard a faint affirmative and Zoe gives her phone to Frisk and Chara.

The siblings take the phone and climb into the back seat, with Chara talking to whoever was on the other end of the phone. You and Zoe pack all of your supplies into the trunk then get in the car. Zoe pulls away and starts driving down the road.

After a few minutes, Chara hangs up and gives you the cell phone which you put in the cup holder in front of you.

“Your mom say anything we need to know about?” Zoe glances at the pair in the rear-view mirror.

“Not really,” Chara responds quietly. “Just to remind you where to meet them.”

Zoe answers your question before you can ask, “My bakery. Originally, we were supposed to meet them at their house, but someone convinced them that it would attract unwanted attention. I would’ve suggested _our_ house, but you know as well as I do that that’s a terrible idea right now.”

You nodded then asked, _Unwanted attention? What do you mean?_

“Apparently, Frisk here is monster ambassador and Chara is their self-appointed body guard and if word got out that they were missing, there would have been mass panic. Asgore and Toriel hadn’t reported either of them missing to the police to avoid that panic. They only told a few close friends and kept their search quiet, but thorough.”

 _Toriel and Asgore are your parents?_ Both kids nod.

 _Yeah._ Frisk signs back at you. _They’re really cool._

With that, the car ride lapsed into silence. You turn on the radio and lean against the window, watching the scenery go by and starting to doze.

* * *

“We’re here,” Zoe nudges your shoulder a short time later.

You blink and get out of the car while Zoe wakes up Chara and Frisk. The pair climb out of the car and when they see the group of monsters standing on the sidewalk, they run towards the group. Toriel crouches and envelopes the siblings in a tight hug, with Frisk hugging back just as tightly and Chara stoically leaning into the embrace.

Asgore approached you as the three were hugging, “Thank you so much for finding our children, (Y/N).”

_It’s no problem, but I only found them because they were already at my camp._

“Really?” Asgore turned towards Frisk and Chara. “How did you two come across the camp?”

The pair nodded and Chara explained with a scoff, “Yeah. The _idiots_ who took us did a crap job of tying our hands and didn’t even bother with our feet. While they were driving, Frisk and I managed to loosen the ropes enough so that our hands could slip out. From there, we just had to wait until they were distracted so we could run.”

Frisk continues, _When they started to take us through the woods, Chara pretended to fall, picked up a rock, and threw it as soon as their backs were all turned. One of them went to see what the noise was and when he left, Chara and I slipped out of the ropes. Chara kicked one between the legs while I kicked the other in the knee and we ran. After a while we came across (Y/N)’s camp and I tripped. We didn’t know who’s camp it was, so Chara tried to get me back up._

From there, you took over, explaining what else happened and what the three men looked like. Toriel and Asgore thanked you again for finding their children and bringing them home and Zoe invited everyone into the bakery for celebratory sweets. The rather large group went in and Zoe started passing out desserts to everyone.

As you were eating a cookie, Undyne came up and pulled you into a bone-crushing hug. You crush your cookie in surprise and internally shed a tear as the crumbs fall to the floor.

Before you could ask to be put down, Undyne drops you and yells, “(Y/N)! Thank you so much for helping the kids escape!”

You smile and nod at Undyne, rubbing your now sore ribs. _I really didn’t do much, but I’m happy that I could help._

“Quit being so modest, punk!” Undyne throws her arms to the side and catches both you and a skeleton monster-definitely not Sans since he was talking with Frisk and Zoe near the counter-in a headlock. “First you help my Alphys and Bone-Boy’s brother over there and then you help the royal kids. You are _awesome_!”

You break out of the headlock while Undyne’s yelling-she doesn’t notice-and look at Alphys who’s munching on a cupcake near you. _Royal children?_

“Yeah. A-Asgore’s the King o-of Monsters a-and Toriel is still Q-Queen. T-technically.”

You nod in understanding and grab another cookie to eat. The skeleton that Undyne still has in a headlock gives a surprised shout and you turn your attention back to Undyne.

“PLEASE, DON’T NOOGIE THE SKELETON!” As he yells this, Undyne starts to give him a noogie. “NOOO!”

The noogie continues for about a minute before Undyne lets him go. He sways for a moment and Undyne steadies him with an arm wrapped around his shoulders.

“(Y/N), this is Papyrus. He’s my second-in-command and Sans’ brother.”

You wave and Papyrus exclaims, “WOWIE! ANOTHER HUMAN TO BEFRIEND. I AM THE GREAT PAPYRUS, AND IT IS VERY NICE TO MEET YOU, HUMAN (Y/N)!”

In his enthusiasm, Papyrus pulled himself out of Undyne’s grip and swept you into his surprisingly strong arms for a hug. You gasp as you lose another cookie to the floor.

You pat his bony arm and pull away from the hug. _Nice to meet you, too, Papyrus._

His eye sockets sparkle at the arm pat you gave him and he gasps, “WOWIE, THAT MEANS THAT I HAVE ANOTHER HUMAN FRIEND! TELL ME, NEW HUMAN FRIEND, DO YOU LIKE SPAGHETTI??”

You smile at his enthusiasm.  _Of course._ _It’s one of my favorite dishes._

“THAT’S FANTASTIC! YOU MUST VISIT ME AND MY LAZY BROTHER SO THAT I MAY MAKE YOU FRIENDSHIP SPAGHETTI!”

_That sounds great._

Somehow, Papyrus’ eye sockets sparkle even more as he poses dramatically and proclaims, “NYEH HEH HEH!!”

The rest of the day continues like this, with everyone having fun talking and eating desserts.

* * *

The sun is close to setting when the group of monsters decide that they should leave. You and Zoe wave goodbye as the group walks down the street.

Zoe sighs as she looks at the mess in her bakery, “Wanna help clean up?”

_Are Sarah and the kids still at our house?_

“Yup. And I’m in no hurry to get back there. I can guarantee that as soon as one of us gets there, Sarah and Jake will decide that there’s something that they both _have_ to take care of,” Zoe rolls her eyes and continues, “and they’ll leave for hours. Without a word of where they’re going or when they’ll be back.”

You take a moment to think.  _I think I’ll help you here._

“Thank you for helping,” she gives you a small smile. You return the smile and the two of get to work.

As you two are cleaning, you turn on the radio behind the counter. Zoe starts to sing as she sweeps and you whistle with her. You finish cleaning after about 45 minutes and you and Zoe continue jamming to the radio for a little while longer.

Thunder and Lightning come out of the back room-where they were sleeping all day-as Zoe starts to dance to one of her favorite songs that just began. The dog pair start jumping around her, trying to dance, and you laugh at them all. Zoe looks at you and smirks. She skips towards you as she says the opening line in a serious tone.

“Once upon a time, not so long ago,” she points past you in a random direction. Then, she mimes holding a sign.

  
_Tommy used to work on the docks, union's been on strike._ _  
_ _He's down on his luck. It's tough, so tough._

She grabbed a nearby cookie tray, holding it like a waitress in one hand while putting invisible money in her pocket.

_Gina works the diner all day working for her man,_ _  
_ _She brings home her pay, for love, for love._

Zoe throws the tray to the side, you hear a splash and are mildly impressed that she was able to get it into the sink from the front of the bakery. She clasps your hands close to her chest and gives you a pleading look. You shake your head ‘no’ and she pulls you into a hug and goes into the next line.

_She says, we've got to hold on to what we've got,_   
_It doesn't make a difference if we make it or not._   
_We've got each other and that's a lot for love._   
_We'll give it a shot!_

She pushes you away dramatically and throws her hands to her sides, raising them as she sings the chorus. You laugh and start quietly humming with her. Thunder and Lightning are still jumping around the two of you, enjoying themselves.

 _Oh, we're halfway there,_   
_Whoa-oh, livin' on a prayer!_   
_Take my hand, we'll make it I swear._   
_Whoa-oh, livin' on a prayer!_

You mime playing a guitar and Zoe beams at you and pretends that she’s rocking out to your sweet tune.

_Tommy's got his six-string in hock._   
_Now he's holding in what he used to make it talk._   
_So tough, it's tough_

She runs towards you and you hold her as she pretends to sob while singing.

_Gina dreams of running away._   
_When she cries in the night, Tommy whispers,_   
_Baby, it's okay, someday_

The two of you hold each other dramatically.

_We've got to hold on to what we've got,_   
_It doesn't make a difference if we make it or not._   
_We've got each other and that's a lot for love._   
_We'll give it a shot!_

This time when Zoe flings her arms out, you do the same. The two of you start fist pumping the air, grinning at each other.

 _Oh, we're halfway there,_   
_Whoa-oh, livin' on a prayer!_   
_Take my hand, we'll make it I swear._   
_Whoa-oh, livin' on a prayer!_   
_Livin' on a prayer!_

Zoe glares at the ceiling and belts out the next few lines, shaking her fist in a threatening manner. You feint an attack at your dogs as she does that, who both bark and jump at you in response.

_Oh, we've got to hold on, ready or not,_ _  
_ _You live for the fight when it's all that you've got!_

She grabs your hands again and the two of you dance together

 _Whoa, we're halfway there,_   
_Whoa-oh, livin' on a prayer!_   
_Take my hand, and we'll make it I swear._   
_Whoa-oh, livin' on a prayer!_

You and Zoe let go of each other and start jumping in place. Zoe does a spin as you fist pump. _  
_

_Oh, we're halfway there, _  
_ Whoa-oh, livin' on a prayer! _  
_ Take my hand, and we'll make it I swear. _  
_ Whoa-oh, livin' on a prayer! _

You both turn so that you’re standing back-to-back as the song fades.

_Whoa, we're halfway there,_   
_Whoa-oh, livin' on a prayer!_   
_Take my hand, and we'll make it I swear._   
_Whoa-oh, livin' on a prayer!_

 

After a few moments, you and Zoe start giggling. Which turns into loud laughter-mostly from Zoe. The two of you are still laughing as Zoe locks up her bakery and you both get into the car with your dogs. The drive home is mostly you two listening to the radio with the occasional giggle. You park the car and get out, pausing when you hear shouting coming from the house.

****************

* * *

 

****************

You and Zoe share a confused and worried look and rush to the front door. As you get closer, you can make out what is being said-well yelled.

“- _hy_ the _fuck_ are you letting them talk to those _things_?!” It was Jake- _of course_ it was, who else would it have been.

You and Zoe both groan and you open the door. You gape at your house-it was a mess! Chairs were tipped, potting soil was scattered among pot (like potted plants) shards, there was a dark stain of some kind in the carpet, and the coffee table was missing a leg. You close your eyes and breath in and out, and grab Zoe’s shoulder when you hear her sharp intake of breath.

As you’re trying to keep her calm, Sarah screams back at Jake, “They are kids, Jake! _My_ kids _!_ Why the Hell does it matter so much to you who they’re playing with?! Let them play with whoever they want! And if you don’t like it, then _fuck you_. They’re not _your_ kids.”

Jake snarls in rage and throws the glass in his hand at the wall, shattering it. His and Sarah’s faces are both red with anger. Sarah’s chestnut hair-usually kept in a neat ponytail-is loose and slightly ruffled. She has a few cuts on her cheek, matching the scrape on Jake’s jawline. His short blonde hair is messy and his face is sweaty.

Before Jake can start yelling again, Zoe clears her throat and takes a step forward. Her voice is deceptively calm when she asks, “What. The _fuck_. Did you two do to our house?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What you missed; Jake and Sarah were fighting with each other and Jake threw a glass cup at the wall in anger. It isn't outright stated, but it's implied that they've been arguing and throwing things for awhile. Or at least long enough to destroy the house.  
> And that's it.
> 
> Feedback is appreciated. I want those that read this to like it and find the characters and their interactions realistic, so let me know if I'm succeeding or failing at that.
> 
> I also want to know who you would like to pair reader up with romantically or if everything should be kept platonic. Everyone is fair game-aside from the kids-from game characters to the OC's. As long as they've appeared, reader can be paired with them. That said, there are characters that haven't shown up yet but will in the next few chapters.
> 
> Thank you for reading, and please let me know what you want to see! :3


	5. It could've been worse.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You run into a friendly couple, Zoe threatens someone, and you two make hot chocolate. A nice end to a less-than-nice day, at least it wasn't as bad as it could've been.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter! YAY~!
> 
> It's about time, am I right? Not a long chapter, but when are they ever?  
> Hope y'all like it, let me know!
> 
> (F/D)- Favorite Drink  
> (F/F)- Favorite Food

The pair freeze, staring at Zoe, who’s still glaring at them. As they start making excuses-with them both trying to talk over the other-Zoe grabs your arm and pulls you towards her.

She doesn’t take her eyes off of Sarah and Jake as she whispers, “Find the kids and take them somewhere else,” she pulls out her wallet and gives it to you. “Take them to eat somewhere. I’ll text you when it’s okay to bring them back.”

Zoe lets you go and you hesitate to leave, giving your friend a concerned look. She gives you a reassuring smile and gently pushes you towards the hall before stepping between the arguing couple. You leave the room with your dogs to find Sarah’s kids. The yelling gets louder as you search each room.

You find the three of them playing in the backyard, seemingly oblivious to the shouting match taking place inside. You let Thunder and Lightning back inside when you find them, knowing their presence would keep the situation from escalating into violence. Then, you herd the kids to your car and drive away. You pass by a few places, but none of them are open at this time, so you continue driving. Eventually, you find a nice looking place to stop at.

You park and admire the cozy looking brick building. There's a neon sign across the front of the building that says "Grillby's", and you can see through the windows that it is open. You take the kids inside and find a booth to sit at near the entrance. Once you sit, you are approached by a green fire monster, who hands you and the kids menus.

"Hello!" she greets your group cheerfully. "Welcome to Grillby's! My name is Fuku Fire and I will be your server this evening. Can I start you off with drinks?"

"Sure, I'll have a (F/D) and the kids will each have a root beer. Thank you," you smile at her as she takes down what you want. She walks away and you notice that the kids are openly gawking at something.

You turn your head towards where they are staring and you notice that on the other side of the building there is a group of dog monsters playing poker. You turn towards the kids and wave your hand in front of their faces to get their attention. They turn towards you in confusion. 

"Stop staring. It's rude," you hiss quietly at them.

"But, (Y/N)," May whines, "they're  _ dogs _ ."

"So what if they are? It's still rude to stare. You wouldn't like it if somebody stared at you because you looked weird to them, so offer them the same respect."

" _ Fine _ ," May sighs heavily and pulls out her cell phone.

Fuku Fire comes back a short time later with your drinks. She sets the drinks in front of each of you and pulls out a notepad and pencil from her apron.

"So, have you guys decided what you want?"

You look at the kids sitting around you and they each give you a nod. They point out what they want and Fuku writes down their orders. You show her that you want (F/F).

"Okay! Your orders will be out soon. If you need anything at all, please let me know," she gives all of you a nice smile (at least you think it's a smile. It's a little hard to tell when the person is made of fire).

As the four of you wait for your food, you take out your phone and send a quick text to Zoe, letting her know where you guys were and asking her if everything was alright at your house. She responds a few minutes later, telling you that the situation is almost resolved and that you  _ should _ be able to bring the kids back after you are all done eating.

You're in the middle of responding to her text when you hear one of the kids in front of you gasp. You figure that they just spotted an unusual looking monster, so you don't bother looking up from your phone. Only when you feel a tap on your shoulder do you look up.

You look up from your phone to see Alphys nervously tapping her clawed fingers together and Undyne giving you a sharp-toothed grin behind her. You smile at the couple and raise your hands to sign.

_ What are you two doing here? _

"W-we we're just stopping by to get some late dinner a-and we saw you. S-so we decided to see what you were up to."

_ Really?  _ You tilted your head.  _ Have you two already ordered? _

"Yeah!" Undyne proclaimed loudly, startling the three kids sitting in front of you. 

May loudly cleared her throat and you rub the back of your neck sheepishly as you signed.  _ Where are my manners? These are my roommates' cousins; May, _ you gesture at the brunette teen who gave a scoff and an eye roll before turning her attention back to her phone,  _ Clarence,  _ you gesture towards the young brunette boy sitting next to her who waves enthusiastically,  _ and Casey, _ you point at the youngest who smiles shyly before turning to fiddle with her blonde braids.

"I-it's very nice to meet you kids," Alphys gave the trio a nervous smile. "I-I'm Alphys, a-and this is my girlfriend Undyne."

Undone flexed as she yelled, "Darn right! It's nice to meet you punks!"

_ Would you two like to join us? _

"O-oh, um, w-we wouldn't want to intrude."

_ It's not a problem, I know the kids wouldn't mind. In fact, they seemed pretty interested to talk to you guys. _

And it was true, both Clarence and Casey we're looking at the fish and dinosaur monsters with open interest while May was ignoring everyone in favor of her cell phone. Undyne and Alphys look at each other before shrugging and sitting next to you.

As you all wait for your food, Undyne tells Casey and Clarence-who seem very invested if their wide-eyed looks of awe are anything to go by-various stories about her job as a royal guard and you and Alphys converse quietly each other.

After about 10 more minutes, Fuku Fire approaches your booth with your and the kids' orders. She sets the plates down in front of each of you.

"Yours and Alphys's food should be out in a minute, Undyne," she turns around and heads back towards the bar where there is an orange fire monster holding two plates. She grabs the plates and heads back towards your table.

"Okay," she says as she sets places the plates in front of Undyne and Alphys. “Everybody got their food?" You all nod and she smiles. "Great! Let me know if you need anything else!"

She walks away and everybody begins to eat.

* * *

After you all finish eating, you pay for your food and leave. You and the kids bid Undyne and Alphys farewell and head back to your house. When the four of you get there, you see Sarah sitting on the front porch. She ushers her kids inside and you set out to find Thunder and Lightning. You find them in the backyard, sleeping in the grass as Zoe sips something from a mug-it smells chocolaty. She’s sitting cross-legged between the two and looks at you as you sit beside her.

It’s quiet for a minute before Zoe speaks, “Sarah dumped him,” she sounds both relieved and nervous and you wait for her to continue.

“Don’t get me wrong,” she looks at you, “I’m glad she did. He’s an asshole and the kids don’t need that kind of bad influence, but I can’t help but feel that he’s not going to let it go. You know why they were fighting in the first place?” You shake your head. “It was because Clarence and Casey were playing with a monster. Jake didn’t like that, so apparently he started yelling at all of them-including the poor monster kid.”

_ That’s disgusting. _ You sign, thinking of that poor child who had to deal with a grown man harassing them.

“Right? Sarah says that  _ ‘It’s serious this time’ _ and that they ‘ _ won’t be getting together again’ _ ,” Zoe rolls her eyes with a scoff. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”

You nod in agreement before asking a question.  _ Is he still here? I didn’t see him when I came in. _

“No, he’s not here. I kicked him out and told him that I would kick his ass then call the cops if I saw him around here ever again. I’ve tolerated his sexist, racist comments for too long. I should’ve done more sooner, but there’s only so much I can do when they live so far,” she took a long drink from her mug-definitely hot chocolate-and set it down with a smirk. “Guess what I did.”

_ What? _

“I convinced Sarah to leave tomorrow instead of a few days from now.”

_ How? _ You ask, confused. They usually try to stay for longer than they plan. They never leave early.

“I talked with her after Jake left. I asked her how serious she was about the breakup and when she told me she was very serious about it, I told her that the farther away from him she was, the better. With her far away, he would have a more difficult time convincing her to take him back. What she does after she gets back is up to her, but for now, the distance is good.”

You nod in agreement.  _ Smart. _

Zoe smiles, “Thank you. Want some hot chocolate?”

You sigh in relief.  _ Yes, please. I could smell it and asking for a sip of yours while you were talking about something serious is rude. _

“You know I would’ve said yes, right?” She laughs as the two of you stand and enter the house.

_ I know that. But you looked like you needed it more than I did. _

“That’s sweet of you and I really appreciate it,” she throws an arm over your shoulder, pulling you down to her height, “but next time, ask to make some with me instead of just sitting there. I like making things, you can learn my culinary secrets, and we both get to sample it. It’s a win for everyone!”

You smile at you roommate.  _ I’ll remember that. _

“Good,” Zoe gives you one more affectionate squeeze before giving you a smooch on the forehead and pulling you towards the kitchen. “Now, let’s make some hot chocolate, (Y/N)!”

You chuckle at her energy and help her get everything that you two need. You chat with her about random things as she shows you how to make her favorite mint hot chocolate. The two of you continue to talk and sip hot chocolate long into the night-not thinking about the stress of the past few days and what it means for the future-just enjoying each other’s company and friendship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I hope you liked the chapter, it's kind of plot heavy, but I needed it to happen to make the story progress. I'm excited to write the next part, so hopefully it won't take as long to write.
> 
> As always, please let me know what you think. Is there something I can improve on? Are the characters portrayed realistically? Are the introductions good? Please, let me know! I love reading the comments.  
> Thanks for reading! <3


	6. That's...not good.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Today was a good day. There was one good joke, a funny story, easy customers, and you get the house to yourself for the night.
> 
> If only it had stayed that way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (F/Ft)- Favorite Fruit
> 
> Not sure how I should write the warnings for this chapter, but here's my best: there's blood, talk of someone getting shot, and a description of a crime scene.  
> *~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~* will mark where it begins, if anyone wants to skip it. I'll summarize it at the end for those that skipped.

You wake up the next day around noon and briefly stretch before getting up and taking a shower. After you're done, you get dressed for the day. You decide to wear an old pair of jeans and a (F/C) t-shirt. On your way to the kitchen, you notice that a lot of the mess from last night has been cleaned. You continue to the kitchen.

On the fridge you find a note from Zoe. It reads:

_Hey (Y/N)! I left to take Sarah and the kids to the airport. And I won't be back until later this evening. Most of the mess from last night has been cleaned up, but if you could get the rest of it, that'd be great. Thanks in advance! Get whatever you want for dinner, just save me some, please._

_(* ^3 ^)/ ~ <3_

_Zoe._

_P.S. Is it okay if I give Papyrus your number? He's very enthusiastic about setting up a dinner party and I can't speak for when you would want to go._

 

You look at Thunder and Lightning and shrug before making yourself a bowl of (F/Ft) oatmeal. You send Zoe a quick text, letting her know it’s okay to give Papyrus your number, and start eating. After you’re done, you get to work cleaning up the rest of the living room. It wasn't difficult, especially considering most of the mess was already cleaned. All you had to do was vacuum the carpet.

You get ready to head into work when you notice a piece of paper in your coat pocket. It's another note from Zoe and it looks like she was in a rush when she wrote it. Scribbled messily on the paper is: _Be careful on your way to work today._

You tilt your head in confusion then shrug your shoulders, deciding to just be more observant than usual. You leave the house and head to work.

* * *

Aside from a dark blue truck that looked like it was circling your block, you don't notice anything unusual. You get to work without anything happening, and when you enter the building, Nina is already in the process of wiping down the tables and counters. You start with the windows and the two of you quietly clean for about half an hour before she breaks the silence.

“Wanna know how the reunion went?”

You shrug your shoulders, not really minding one way or the other. Nina takes your shrug as an affirmative and continues talking.

“So you know we had a lot of people come, right?” You nod. “Well, a lot of them had some very big opinions that not everyone agreed with. So there were more fights than usual. And some of those fights got pretty physical.”

 _What were you guys fighting about?_ You ask, puzzled about what could spark a physical reaction from them.

“You know, the usual. Who we are voting for, why the current season of whatever show sucked ass, what qualifies an animal as a working service animal, and-my personal favorite-why everyone deserves equal rights.”

You wince let out a low whistle. _Wow._

“The best thing that happened was one of my cousins getting their nose broken.”

_Wait, what? How?_

“Well, he made one too many racist comments and Zoe ended up nailing him in the nose,” you let out a surprised laugh. “To be honest, if Zoe hadn't beaten me to the punch,” you let out a few breathless giggles at the unintended pun, “I probably would have socked him in the jaw myself. I know that on the way to the hospital, Zoe was giving him the mother of all lectures. And some of it _must_ have gotten through his thick skull because he hasn't made a comment since.”

_Who was it?_

“Jared,” Nina gives you a smirk as you try to contain your snickers.

You shake your head in denial and whisper a disbelieving, “ _No,_ ” but Nina just nods her head in response. Tears start to build up in your eyes as you imagine it. Standing at around 6 ft tall and built like a linebacker, Jared is by no means a small guy. And imagining someone as small as Zoe-who's also younger than him by a few years-breaking his nose then lecturing him about his gross behavior as she's driving him to the hospital is one of the funniest things that you can imagine.

As you try to hold back your laughter, you lift your hands and sign, _That must have been why she wasn't taking Jake's BS anymore. She must’ve already been sick of it._

“What do you mean?” Nina asked, confused.

You explain to nina what happened last night between Sarah and Jake. She listens with rapt attention and when you're done, she looks annoyed.

“What a piece of work,” she scoffs. “I can only imagine what in all he said. It’s a good thing he wasn’t here, otherwise I would’ve done more then break his nose.”

 _I thought he and Sarah only came here because of the impromptu reunion._ You sign, confused. _Didn’t they stop by?_

“No, they only dropped the kids off with me and left. Didn’t stay for more than a minute.”

_Weird._

“Not really. But, I _am_ glad that Sarah has dumped him. Hopefully she doesn’t take him back.”

You nod in agreement and the two of you go back to cleaning.

* * *

Aside from Papyrus texting you throughout the day about how great it was to have a new friend, work was uneventful. You were relieved that the customers that came in during your shift were so easy to take care of.

As you were getting ready to head home, Drew approached you.

“Hey, do you know where Nina is?” He looked concerned about something.

 _She’s at the bar with Jen. Why?_ His expression was making you uneasy.

“She got a phone call.”

 _Did something happen?_ You could feel your unease growing.

“I don’t know. From all they told me, it sounded serious,” Drew shook his head with a dry chuckle. “Probably has something to do with bills. It always does.”

You nod and pat his shoulder in sympathy. _Bills are the worst. So are taxes._

“Ain’t that the truth.”

You wave at Drew and leave. As you walk down the street with Thunder and Lightning, you decide to stop by Zoe’s bakery to see if you can grab the car from your roommate.

*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*

 

You’re about a block away from the bakery when you notice sirens flashing farther up the street. You’re curious about what they’re doing there. Did a business get broken into? Did the cops corner a running criminal? You look at your dogs who look back at you, then shrug and keep walking. As you get closer, you realize they’re parked _in front_ of the bakery.

There’s police tape around the sidewalk in front, with police officers collecting things off the ground and taking photos. The front window of the bakery is shattered and the door is stuck open. You can barely make out the blood soaked into the sidewalk, making a trail leading into the bakery. You’re immediately shocked and anxious, hoping that no one was seriously hurt.

You approach the nearest officer, and get their attention, “E-excuse me.”

The officer turns towards you with a frown, “Yes?”

“What happened?”

“I’m sorry, I’m not at liberty to say. Please step back.”

You nod a take a step back. Thunder and Lightning press themselves against your legs in comfort. As you pull out your phone to ask Zoe about what happened to her bakery, it starts ringing. You didn’t immediately recognize the number, but you realized that it was Drew’s a moment later. You answered but before you could say anything, Drew spoke.

“Hey, so that call from earlier. Um, the one that was for Nina. Turns out, it _was_ serious. _Very_ serious.”

“Oh, no,” you murmured.

“Yeah,” you heard him take a deep breath. “It was from the hospital-they told her that her sister’s been _shot_.”

“ _Wha-!”_ You start coughing as your voice cuts out.

“ _Easy_ , (Y/N). _Breathe._ Where are you? We can continue this in person.”

“The bakery,” you whisper.

“Wha-- Really?” You nod, knowing he can’t see you. “Okay, I’ll be there in a few.”

He hangs up and you sit on the curb, waiting for him. Some officers look at you, confused about why you’re sitting near the road, but they don’t approach.

Drew pulls up a few minutes later and you get in the car.

“The hospital doesn’t allow pets; we’re gonna have to drop your dogs off,” he says as he pulls away from the curb.

You nod as he drives. Once you make it to your house, you bring Thunder and Lightning inside, feed them and Rascal-you’re probably going to be there for a while-then leave again.

 _What happened?_ You signed as you sat down.

“We’re not sure. All the cops told us was that Zoe was shot twice. When we got to the hospital, she was in surgery. One bullet grazed her side and the other was lodged in her lung.”

You inhale sharply at that. _Do they know who did it?_

“Not yet, but it won’t be long until they figure it out,” Drew pulled into the hospital’s parking lot as he said it.

_Why?_

He parks, “Because the security cameras must’ve caught the whole thing. And,” the two of you leave the car and make your way to the hospital entrance, “there were witnesses.”

_How do you know that?_

“I overheard some of the cops talking about it. I feel terrible that anyone would see something like this, but at the same time, I’m hoping that they will be able to lead the cops to whoever did it.”

You nod in agreement and the two of you enter the hospital. You spot Nina pacing in the waiting room. Her arms are crossed, close to her body, and her eyes are red. When you get to her you give her a tight hug. Nina responds by grabbing your shirt and giving a shuddering breath. You start to tear up as the reality of the situation sinks in completely. Drew wraps his arms around both of you and the three of you stay like that, soaking in each other’s comfort while waiting for any new information.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The call for Nina was from the hospital, letting her know that Zoe was shot twice. You stop by the bakery, seeing the aftermath. (window's shattered, there's some blood) Drew picks you up, you drop off your dogs, and the two of you meet Nina at the hospital where there's a group hug of comfort as you all wait for the news.  
> And that's it.
> 
> As I've said, I have no set path for this story, only a brief thought of where I want it to go. That said, I'm still undecided about if I want Zoe to live or die, so it's ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯.
> 
> Hope you like the chapter, please leave a comment. I love to read your thought!

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my first time writing a reader insert, so I would appreciate any feedback anyone's willing to give me. I tried to keep the reader gender-neutral, so please let me know if I slipped up somewhere.
> 
> I'm not yet sure if Reader will have only platonic relationships with everyone or if one will evolve into the romantic category. We'll see where it goes.¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> Thank you for reading! I hope you like it so far and please let me know what you think!


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